The Hindu : Kerala News : Factionalism to end soon: Pinarayi

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Monday, Dec 03, 2007
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Factionalism to end soon: Pinarayi

Staff Reporter

Hopes Kottayam trend will be followed in other districts also

Alleges that a section of the media spreading baseless propaganda against the party
Says party not for confrontation with Church

KADUTHURUTHY (Kotttayam district): The Kottayam district conference has set the tone for the end of factionalism in the CPI(M), State secretary Pinarayi Vijayan has said.

Addressing a public meeting organised at the concluding day of the three-day district conference here on Sunday,

Mr. Vijayan expressed confidence that the State conference scheduled here in February would see the end of factionalism in the party.

Factionalism could be identified by its own special symptoms, and they were absent at Kottayam, he said. The discussions during the conference were healthy in nature. The Kottayam conference was one which was conducted in full adherence to organisational discipline, he said and hoped the trend would be followed in other districts too.

The party itself had accepted that there was factionalism in the organisation. “It is the most serious disease that has affected the party,” he said and added that the trend had peaked during the Malappuram State conference.

“The Kottayam conference has proved that the steps taken to stem factionalism have produced good results,” he said.

The CPI(M) secretary came down heavily on a section of the media which had engaged in spreading “baseless propaganda” against the party. “They not only decided who all spoke at the conference, but even decided the agenda themselves.” While the party members would not be confused by such propaganda, this section of the media was trying to confuse the well-wishers of the party, he said.

He also said that there would be further efforts to spread baseless information in future, especially on the party conferences which were suspended for not adhering to guidelines.

Mr. Vijayan said the minorities had come to the fold of the Left and this had put the UDF, which had been using them as a captive vote bank, in difficulty.

The UDF was now engaged in an effort to distance the minorities from the CPI(M), using a section of priests who were speaking the language of politicians.

The CPI(M) secretary maintained that the party was willing to join hands with the Church in areas of common interest. “We do not want confrontation with any religious group. On minority issues, we are always with the minorities,” he said.

The party had not moved away from the decisions taken at the 18th party congress, he said and added that the stance taken by the party on issues of national importance was consistent.

District secretary K.J. Thomas presided over the meeting . A Red volunteer march was taken out prior to the meeting.

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